Project: Cooperative intelligent transport systems: Solution for road traffic in Lebanon

The university is always working on projects that have impacts on community sustainability. In this context, the university co-finances a project in collaboration with the CNRS-L (Lebanese National Scientific Research Center) to solve the traffic on Beirut roads, this will directly affect the carbon footprint.

As the university in its mission seeks to contribute to the development of society, it contributes in many collaborative projects with the Lebanese industry under the umbrella of LIRA projects (Lebanese Industrial Research Achievements). Some of these projects aim to improve the energy efficiency and clean energy:

• Project: Smart MPPT Charge Controller for a Solar PV

Brief Description: The main purpose of this project is to design a DC/DC converter that will enable the inversion of a DC power source, supplied by Photovoltaic (PV) Cells, to a controlled DC bus that will be used to connect to a batteries bank. The system will be controlled to operate at maximum efficiency using Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm and using the powerful charging algorithm for battery bank (multi-stage charge control). 

Industrial partner: EMCO Electronics

Academic year: 2017-2018

• Project: Self-Cleaning system for Photovoltaic (PV) Cells

Brief Description: Accumulation of dirt or particles like dust, water, sand and moss on the surface of solar photo-voltaic panel obstruct or distract light energy from reaching the solar cells. This is a major problem since the light obstruction materials pose as external resistances that reduce solar photo-voltaic performance. As one of the promising solution for the electricity problem in Lebanon, installing PV will face the problem of cleaning accumulated dust or dirt. The project realized a smart system that solves the problem of dust or dirt accumulation over the installed PV modules. The system is capable of monitoring large number of distributed PV modules, and uses artificial intelligence to avoid misusage of energy in powering the cleaning system and wasting water used in cleaning the panels. This will lead to increase the energy efficiency of the PV cells.

Industrial partner: EMCO Electronics

Academic year: 2018-2019

Air Quality Protection Act

The university aims to make a difference in minimizing carbon footprint by making an energy transition of a part of its electricity to “green” power. Studies are under preparation to initiate projects to establish hybrid renewable energy systems to produce power from clean renewable sources such as the sun and wind, rather than oil, and using clean fuel whenever possible.

IUL has a mission to transform its campus and to do so it focuses on energy efficiency. The use of solar energy as a way to combat problems related to climate change will be the indicator for this particular area of interest. focusing on the use of low consumption appliances, energy conservation program, construction of green areas, climate change mitigation and adaptation program and policies for the use of renewable energies and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The university is committed to regulating the total electricity consumption, water, paper and fossil fuels to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing consumption. Moreover, the university is planning to rely on clean energy sources such as solar energy to provide affordable electricity to its facilities.

Furthermore, the university adopts the Air Quality Protection Act issued by the Lebanese Parliament (Law No. 78 dated: 04/13/2018), especially the articles of chapter 3 – The protection, and those related to the Fuel quality, to reduce air pollution resulting from the transportation and encouraging the employees to use less polluting fuels.